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| Winston-Salem State QB Rudy Johnson (Photo from freenorthcarolina.blogspot.com) |
What looked to be an epic battle between 9-1 teams, Virginia State and Winston Salem State, didn't even get played. A day before the game, Winston Salem State star quarterback Rudy Johnson was assaulted in the bathroom during a pre-championship game luncheon by a group of Virginia State players. One, Lamont Britt, was arrested and pled guilty. He received a year of probation.
But the conference title game was canceled by CIAA officials because of the incident.
This year, things have been put into place to make sure none of that happens again, said CIAA commissioner Jacqie McWiliams during the CIAA's Media Day.
"Canceling the 2013 championship game was a dark day in the history for us in this conference," she said. "However, we believe what we learned that day reminded us of what we need to be focused on and what is most important, and that's the welfare and experience of our student-athletes.
"So what happened last year will never happen again," she said. "We have a no-tolerance policy. We are moving forward, focusing on developing leadership, sportsmanship and academic success that is in line with our strategic thinking."
Interestingly, a poll of CIAA coaches and sports information directors predicted Winston-Salem State and Virginia State to win the Northern and Southern divisions and meet in the 2014 CIAA championship game, with Winston-Salem being the favorite to win their third title in four seasons. It's also a team looking to make a deeper run in the Division II playoffs after losing in the second round last year.
"I've been more fearful of our battles inside the conference, and that's a credit to all of you guys in this league," said new head coach Kienus Boulware during the CIAA Media Day, according to the Winston-Salem Journal. Boulware, the former defensive coordinator, replaces Connell Maynor who took the head job at Hampton.
"I think back to 2011 when we first made that run in the playoffs," Boulware said. "We've had some major battles within the conference, and that's helped up. And we had a lot of major battles last season."
Boulware takes over a squad that has six players on the CIAA's preseason All-Conference squad, including Johnson, the CIAA's leading passer in yardage, touchdowns and completion percentage. But his leading receiver, 2013 CIAA Offensive Rookie of the Year Chase Powell, surprised everyone last week and transferred to Hampton. He will have leading rusher, Maurice Lewis, to hand off to. Lewis had 902 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns last season.
For Virginia State, linebacker Brandon Robinson and defensive lineman Ronald Lewis, two 2014 Preseason All-CIAA picks, return to Trojans' second-ranked defense. They have to replace their two top offensive players in quarterback Justin Thorpe and running back Jordan Anderson. But the Trojans do return 27 players from their two-deep roster.
Here is the CIAA's predicted order of finish:
| Overall 1. Winston-Salem State 2. Fayetteville State 3. Virginia State 4. Shaw 5. Elizabeth City State 6. Bowie State 7. Johnson C. Smith 8. Chowan 9. Saint Augustine's 10. Virginia Union 11. Livingstone 12. Lincoln |
| Southern Division 1. Winston-Salem State 2. Fayetteville State 3. Shaw 4. Johnson C. Smith 5. Saint Augustine's 6. Livingstone | Northern Division 1. Virginia State 2. Elizabeth City State 3. Bowie State 4. Chowan 5. Virginia Union 6. Lincoln |
| OFFENSIVE TEAM | ||||
| # | NAME | SCHOOL | CL. | HOMETOWN |
| TIGHT END | ||||
| 86 | Khari Lee | BSU | SR | Baltimore, Maryland |
| LINEMEN | ||||
| 71 | Marcus Reed | FSU | SR | Montgomery, Texas |
| 79 | Ronnie Ransome | VSU | JR | Petersburg, Virginia |
| 75 | Jahmil Haley | VSU | SO | Petersburg, Virginia |
| 72 | Michael Sabb | WSSU | SR | Raleigh, North Carolina |
| 52 | Justin Kee | WSSU | SR | Suffolk, Virginia |
| WIDE RECEIVERS | ||||
| 4 | Akeen Jordan | LU | SR | Washington, D.C. |
| 82 | Chase Powell | WSSU | SO | Upper Marlboro, Maryland |
| QUARTERBACK | ||||
| 7 | Rudy Johnson | WSSU | SR | San Diego, California |
| RUNNING BACKS | ||||
| 7 | Marquise Grizzle | SU | JR | Camden, North Carolina |
| 5 | Keith Brown | BSU | SR | Temple Hills, Maryland |
| KICK RETURNER | ||||
| 2 | Antonio Huff | ECSU | JR | Washington, D.C. |
| PLACE KICKER | ||||
| 89 | Mario Diaz-Aviles | BSU | SR | Washington, D.C. |
| DEFENSIVE TEAM | ||||
| # | NAME | SCHOOL | CL. | HOMETOWN |
| LINEMEN | ||||
| 10 | Anthony McDaniel | BSU | SR | Ft. Washington, Maryland |
| 33 | Jovantey Williams | JCSU | SR | Stone Mountain, Georgia |
| 43 | Ronald Lewis | VSU | SR | Virginia Beach, Virginia |
| 93 | Casey Davenport | WSSU | SR | Baltimore, Maryland |
| LINEBACKERS | ||||
| 33 | Kenneth White | LC | SR | Salisbury, North Carolina |
| 45 | Brandon Rabinson | VSU | SR | Mechanicsville, Virginia |
| 59 | Danny Bunn | WSSU | JR | Smithfield, North Carolina |
| DEFENSIVE BACKS | ||||
| 18 | Michael Johnson | FSU | SR | Raleigh, North Carolina |
| 3 | Corey Davis | ECSU | SR | Union, New Jersey |
| 1 | Brion Robinson | LU | JR | PG County, Maryland |
| 1 | Everett Roctor | WSSU | SR | Fayetteville, North Carolina |
| PUNT RETURNER | ||||
| 2 | Antonio Huff | ECSU | JR | Washington, D.C. |
| PUNTER | ||||
| 17 | Matias Lambrecht | JCSU | SO | Venice, Florida |
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